French Prime Minister Calls on EU Countries to Strengthen Cooperation in the Fight Against Hantavirus
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu appealed to the government to immediately strengthen coordination with other European Union countries to prevent the spread of hantavirus.
The head of the French government stressed that improving international cooperation is a necessary condition for stopping the infection, an outbreak of which was previously recorded on the MV Hondius cruise ship. He called for close cooperation with neighboring countries and the harmonization of health protocols in force in the Schengen area.
“In order to break any potential chains of transmission, it is necessary to share information, solutions and lessons learned as quickly as possible,” said Sébastien Lecornu.
French Health Minister Stephanie Rist has already started talks with other European officials, providing them with information on the decisions already taken by the French government. So far, twenty-two people in France have been identified who may have been infected as a result of contact with an infected passenger during flights. The disease was officially confirmed in a French citizen whose symptoms appeared during repatriation from the island of Tenerife.
In parallel, security measures are being tightened in other countries in the region. In Italy, two people were placed in quarantine after flying on a flight with a sick person on board. Experts note that the prompt isolation of contact persons and joint control over the movement of passengers are key tools for containing the threat.
The joint efforts of European institutions are aimed at preventing an epidemic outbreak and ensuring the safety of citizens. The prompt exchange of medical data between the member states of the European Union allows for an effective response to challenges and minimize risks to public health.
